Effect of Turbine Blade tip shape on the Total Pressure Loss of a Turbine Cascade

2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ki-Seon Lee ◽  
Seoung-Duck Park ◽  
Young-Chul Noh ◽  
Hak-Bong Kim ◽  
Jae-Su Kwak ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Li ◽  
Zhao Liu ◽  
Zhenping Feng

Abstract The blade tip region of the shroud-less high-pressure gas turbine is exposed to an extremely operating condition with combined high temperature and high heat transfer coefficient. It is critical to design new tip structures and apply effective cooling method to protect the blade tip. Multi-cavity squealer tip has the potential to reduce the huge thermal loads and improve the aerodynamic performance of the blade tip region. In this paper, numerical simulations were performed to predict the aerothermal performance of the multi-cavity squealer tip in a heavy-duty gas turbine cascade. Different turbulence models were validated by comparing to the experimental data. It was found that results predicted by the shear-stress transport with the γ-Reθ transition model have the best precision. Then, the film cooling performance, the flow field in the tip gap and the leakage losses were presented with several different multi-cavity squealer tip structures, under various coolant to mainstream mass flow ratios (MFR) from 0.05% to 0.15%. The results show that the ribs in the multi-cavity squealer tip could change the flow structure in the tip gap for that they would block the coolant and the leakage flow. In this study, the case with one-cavity (1C) achieves the best film cooling performance under a lower MFR. However, the cases with multi-cavity (2C, 3C, 4C) show higher film cooling effectiveness under a higher MFR of 0.15%, which are 32.6%%, 34.2%% and 41.0% higher than that of the 1C case. For the aerodynamic performance, the case with single-cavity has the largest total pressure loss coefficient in all MFR studied, whereas the case with two-cavity obtains the smallest total pressure loss coefficient, which is 7.6% lower than that of the 1C case.


Author(s):  
A. Asghar ◽  
W. D. E. Allan ◽  
M. LaViolette ◽  
R. Woodason

This paper addresses the issue of aerodynamic performance of a novel 3D leading edge modification to a reference low pressure turbine blade. An analysis of tubercles found in nature and used in some engineering applications was employed to synthesize new leading edge geometry. A sinusoidal wave-like geometry characterized by wavelength and amplitude was used to modify the leading edge along the span of a 2D profile, rendering a 3D blade shape. The rationale behind using the sinusoidal leading edge was that they induce streamwise vortices at the leading edge which influence the separation behaviour downstream. Surface pressure and total pressure measurements were made in experiments on a cascade rig. These were complemented with computational fluid dynamics studies where flow visualization was also made from numerical results. The tests were carried out at low Reynolds number of 5.5 × 104 on a well-researched profile representative of conventional low pressure turbine profiles. The performance of the new 3D leading edge geometries was compared against the reference blade revealing a downstream shift in separated flow for the LE tubercle blades; however, total pressure loss reduction was not conclusively substantiated for the blade with leading edge tubercles when compared with the performance of the baseline blade. Factors contributing to the total pressure loss are discussed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 136 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Bloxham ◽  
Jeffrey P. Bons

A flow control scheme was implemented in a low-pressure turbine cascade that simultaneously mitigated profile and endwall losses using midspan vortex generator jets (VGJs) and endwall suction. The combined system had an approximate zero-net mass flux. During the design, a theoretical model was used that effectively predicted the trajectory of the passage vortex using inviscid results obtained from two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The model was used in the design of two flow control approaches: the removal and redirection approaches. The emphasis of the removal approach was the direct application of flow control along the passage vortex (PV) trajectory. The redirection approach attempted to alter the trajectory of the PV with the judicious placement of suction holes. A potential flow model was created to aid in the design of the redirection approach. The model results were validated using flow visualization and particle image velocimetry (PIV) in a linear turbine cascade. Detailed total pressure loss wake surveys were measured while matching the suction and VGJ mass flow rates for the removal and redirection approaches at ReCx = 25,000 and blowing ratio, B, of 2. When compared with the no control results, the addition of VGJs and endwall suction reduced the wake losses by 69% (removal) and 68% (redirection). The majority of the total pressure loss reduction resulted from the spanwise VGJs, while the suction schemes provided modest additional reductions (<2%). At ReCx = 50,000, the endwall control effectiveness was assessed for a range of suction rates without midspan VGJs. Area-averaged total pressure loss reductions of up to 28% were measured in the wake at ReCx = 50,000, B = 0, with applied endwall suction (compared to no suction at ReCx = 50,000), at which point the loss core of the PV was almost completely eliminated.


2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Zhang ◽  
Yan Liu ◽  
Tianlong Zhang ◽  
Mengchao Zhang ◽  
Ying He

This paper presents a continued study on a previously investigated novel winglet-shroud (WS) (or partial shroud) geometry for a linear turbine cascade. Various widths of double-side winglets (DSW) and different locations of a partial shroud are considered. In addition, both a plain tip and a full shroud tip are applied as the datum cases which were examined experimentally and numerically. Total pressure loss and viscous loss coefficients are comparatively employed to execute a quantitative analysis of aerodynamic performance. The effectiveness of various widths (w) of DSW set at 3%, 5%, 7%, and 9% of the blade pitch (p) is numerically investigated. Skin-friction lines on the tip surface indicate that different DSW cases do not alter flow field features including the separation bubble and reattachment flow within the tip gap region, even for the case with the broadest width (w/p = 9%). However, the pressure side extension of the DSW exhibits the formation of separation bubble, while the suction side platform of the DSW turns the tip leakage vortex (TLV) away from the suction surface (SS). Meanwhile, the horse-shoe vortex (HV) near the casing is not generated even for the case with the smallest width (w/p = 3%). As a result, both the tip leakage and the upper passage vortices are weakened and further dissipated with wider w/p in the DSW cases. Larger width of the DSW geometry is indeed able to improve the aerodynamic performance, but only to a slight degree. With the w/p increasing from 3% to 9%, the mass-averaged total pressure loss coefficient over an exit plane is reduced by only 2.61%. Therefore, considering both the enlarged (or reduced) tip area and the enhanced (or deteriorated) performance compared to the datum cases, a favorable width of w/p = 5% is chosen to design the WS structure. Three locations for the partial shroud (linkage segment) are devised, locating them near the leading edge, in the middle and close to the trailing edge, respectively. Results demonstrate that all three cases of the WS design have advantages over the DSW arrangement in lessening the aerodynamic loss, with the middle linkage segment location producing the optimal effect. This conclusion verifies the feasibility of the previously studied WS configuration.


Author(s):  
Masashi Yoshikawa ◽  
Hiroyuki Toyoda ◽  
Hisashi Daisaka

Abstract We developed a high-efficiency half-ducted propeller fan to reduce the electric power consumption of the outdoor unit of air conditioner by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Total pressure loss coefficient on the cylindrical surface of blade tip started increasing at the middle of the blade, and the region of high total pressure loss coefficient was formed after trailing edge. Therefore, we assumed that decreasing this region helped increasing static pressure efficiency. Limiting stream lines on the pressure surface showed that the flow from leading edge leaked at the middle of the blade tip, so it was assumed that the region of the high total pressure loss coefficient arose from the leakage at the middle of the blade tip. We confirmed that static pressure at the middle of blade tip, which was the leakage point, was low. We assumed that low inward force to the flow caused the leakage. On the other hand, static pressure at trailing edge of the blade tip was high. Therefore, it was found that the inward force could be increased by making the static pressure higher at the meddle of the blade tip. In order to make the static pressure higher at the middle of the blade tip, we attempted to move the maximum camber position of the blade tip from trailing edge side to leading edge side. Calculation results showed leakage at the blade tip decreased and the static pressure efficiency increased by 0.5%. Experimental results showed that the static pressure efficiency increased by 1.7 % and sound pressure level was almost the same. For the above reasons, we found leakage of flow from leading edge could be decreased by adjusting the maximum camber position of the blade tip. Decreasing leakage contributed to increasing static pressure efficiency and decreasing electric power consumption.


Author(s):  
Koji Murata ◽  
Hiroyuki Abe ◽  
Yasukata Tsutsui

The aerodynamic characteristics of turbine cascades are thought to be relatively satisfactory due to the favorable pressure of the accelerating flow. But within the low Reynolds number region of 50,000 where the 300kW ceramic gas turbines which are being developed under the New-Sunshine Project of Japan operate, the characteristics such as boundary layer separation and reattachment which lead to prominent power losses cannot be easily predicted. In this research, experiments have been conducted to evaluate the performance of a linear two dimensional turbine cascade. Surface pressure distributions of the airfoil were measured for a range of blade chord Reynolds numbers from 40,000 to 160,000 (at inlet), and at 1.3% inlet turbulence intensity. In addition, the wake of the cascade was measured simultaneously using a five hole pilot tube. Traverses of the wake show that there is a drastic increase in the mean total pressure loss at the wake between the Reynolds number of 80,000 to 40,000, and in some conditions, a rise as much as 10% was confirmed. Thus, in accordance with the pressure distribution of the surface of the airfoil, a relation between the total pressure loss and the length of the laminar separation bubble formed on the airfoil could be seen.


Author(s):  
Jiahui Jin ◽  
Yanping Song ◽  
Jianyang Yu ◽  
Fu Chen

The influence of different arbitrary blade tip shapes on restraining the tip leakage flow in a highly loaded turbine cascade has been numerically studied. A combined method of establishing and optimizing the arbitrary blade tip shape is proposed by using B-spline surface modeling, Kriging model and genetic optimization algorithm. The results show that the Kriging model established by the B-spline surface modeling method can accurately fit the relationship between the arbitrary blade tip shape and the relevant aerodynamic parameters. The optimal leakage mass flow tip and the optimal total pressure loss tip obtained by genetic algorithm both have strong inhibitory effects on tip leakage flow. Compare to the flat tip at 1%H gap height, the tip leakage mass flow of the optimal leakage mass flow case and the optimal total pressure loss case decrease by 11.14% and 10.23%, respectively, the area-average total pressure loss at exit section is reduced by 8.08% and 7.41%, respectively.


Author(s):  
Philip Bear ◽  
Mitch Wolff ◽  
Andreas Gross ◽  
Christopher R. Marks ◽  
Rolf Sondergaard

Improvements in turbine design methods have resulted in the development of blade profiles with both high lift and good Reynolds lapse characteristics. An increase in aerodynamic loading of blades in the low pressure turbine section of aircraft gas turbine engines has the potential to reduce engine weight or increase power extraction. Increased blade loading means larger pressure gradients and increased secondary losses near the endwall. Prior work has emphasized the importance of reducing these losses if highly loaded blades are to be utilized. The present study analyzes the secondary flow field of the front-loaded low-pressure turbine blade designated L2F with and without blade profile contouring at the junction of the blade and endwall. The current work explores the loss production mechanisms inside the low pressure turbine cascade. Stereoscopic particle image velocimetry data and total pressure loss data are used to describe the secondary flow field. The flow is analyzed in terms of total pressure loss, vorticity, Q-Criterion, turbulent kinetic energy and turbulence production. The flow description is then expanded upon using an Implicit Large Eddy Simulation of the flow field. The RANS momentum equations contain terms with pressure derivatives. With some manipulation these equations can be rearranged to form an equation for the change in total pressure along a streamline as a function of velocity only. After simplifying for the flow field in question the equation can be interpreted as the total pressure transport along a streamline. A comparison of the total pressure transport calculated from the velocity components and the total pressure loss is presented and discussed. Peak values of total pressure transport overlap peak values of total pressure loss through and downstream of the passage suggesting that total pressure transport is a useful tool for localizing and predicting loss origins and loss development using velocity data which can be obtained non-intrusively.


Author(s):  
D. Lengani ◽  
D. Simoni ◽  
M. Ubaldi ◽  
P. Zunino ◽  
F. Bertini ◽  
...  

The paper analyzes losses and the loss generation mechanisms in a low-pressure turbine cascade by Proper-Orthogonal-Decomposition (POD) applied to measurements. Total pressure probes and time resolved particle image velocimetry (TR-PIV) are used to determine the flow field and performance of the blade with steady and unsteady inflow conditions varying the flow incidence. The total pressure loss co-efficient is computed by traversing two Kiel probes upstream and downstream of the cascade simultaneously. This procedure allows a very accurate estimation of the total pressure loss coefficient also in the potential flow region affected by incoming wake migration. The TR-PIV investigation concentrates on the aft portion of the suction side boundary layer downstream of peak suction. In this adverse pressure gradient region the interaction between the wake and the boundary layer is the strongest, and it leads to the largest deviation from a steady loss mechanism. POD applied to this portion of the domain provides a statistical representation of the flow oscillations by splitting the effects induced by the different dynamics. The paper also describes how POD can dissect the loss generation mechanisms by separating the contributions to the Reynolds stress tensor from the different modes. The steady condition loss generation, driven by boundary layer streaks and separation is augmented in presence of incoming wakes by the wake-boundary layer interaction and by the wake dilation mechanism. Wake migration losses have been found to be almost insensitive to incidence variation between nominal and negative (up to −9deg), while at positive incidence the losses have a steep increase due to the alteration of the wake path induced by the different loading distribution.


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